Across the country, women often find themselves significantly behind their male counterparts in preparing for retirement--and they are more likely to face financial uncertainty during retirement. In 2014, the median female retirement income was just 55 percent of the average male retirement income. Additionally, women over 65 are 80 percent more likely to fall into poverty during retirement and are more likely to leave the workforce during their income-earning years to become caregivers for loved ones.

The bill would address several financial challenges that disproportionately impact female workers, retirees, and their families. It would help bolster the retirement security of North Dakota women by strengthening consumer protections, improving access to retirement savings plans for female employees, encouraging financial literacy, and supporting low-income women and survivors of domestic violence.

"Too often, women face challenges in the workplace with gender pay disparities and lack of access to paid leave to care for family members or newborns. We need to address those issues and also make sure that the barriers they face don't follow them into retirement," said Heitkamp. "It's clear that women face poverty in retirement at rates drastically higher than men. No one should be forced to worry about losing their retirement savings or falling into poverty during their golden years, and our bill would help more North Dakota women enjoy the long-term retirement security they've earned through their hard work."

This legislation would take needed steps to assist women in building secure and longer-lasting retirements. Additionally, the bill includes a provision that would extend spousal protections to prevent one spouse from undermining a couple's retirement resources without the other's consent. Specifically, the Women's Pension Protection Act of 2018 would:

* Strengthen consumer protections to safeguard retirement savings by expanding existing spousal protections for defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans to prevent one spouse from making decisions that might undermine a couple's retirement resources without the other's knowledge and consent;

* Expand access to retirement savings plans by changing the minimum participation standards for long-term, part-time workers-- most of whom are women;

* Increase financial literacy by providing grants for community-based organizations to improve the financial literacy among women who are of working or retirement age;

* Support low-income women and survivors of domestic abuse seeking retirement benefits by providing grants for community-based organizations that assist them in obtaining qualified domestic relations orders, the legal instruments that allow for the division of retirement benefits-- enabling them to receive the retirement benefits they are entitled to following a divorce or legal separation.

This legislation builds on Heitkamp's efforts in the U.S. Senate to boost the economic security of North Dakotans saving for retirement. In July 2018, Heitkamp introduced a bipartisan package of bills that would help improve retirement security for individuals and families, especially as the costs of health care, education, homeownership, and other expenses have continued to rise-- squeezing families financially. Go to: https://bpcaction.org/expanding-access-to-savings-and-increasing-financial-security for a summary of the bills.

Heitkamp has also been an ardent defender of the pensions of 2,000 North Dakota workers and retirees who are part of the Central States Pension Fund-- and face drastic cuts to their pensions through no fault of their own. Earlier this year, Heitkamp was selected to serve on a new 16-person bipartisan, House and Senate Joint Select Committee tasked with solving the crisis facing multiemployer pension plans across the country. In July 2018, Heitkamp hosted a video livestream on Facebook featuring workers, retirees, and their representatives in Congress sharing stories about how the nationwide pension crisis is impacting them. Go to: https://www.facebook.com/SenatorHeidiHeitkamp/videos/1856284241061600/?notif_id=1532533535996984&notif_t=live_video to watch the full stream.

And in November 2017, Heitkamp announced the Butch Lewis Act during a rally in Bismarck with over 100 workers, retirees, and their families. The Select Committee will provide a process for Congress to consider Heitkamp's bill and work toward a bipartisan solution that can solve the pension crisis.

Background

Heitkamp has long fought for pay equity for women in the workplace, as well as for the financial security of North Dakota's working families. Last year, Heitkamp helped reintroduce the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, which would establish a federal paid family and medical leave policy and help close the wage gap between men and women.

Heitkamp is also a strong supporter of the Paycheck Fairness Act - which was blocked on multiple occasions in 2014 by Senate Republicans-- to help close the startling wage gap between men and women.